Thailand’s Cultural Nationalism

Thailand’s Cultural Nationalism

On the whole, the rise of nationalism, which was the most striking development during the administration of Phibunsonggram, had its roots in the traditional Thai love of independence.

King Rama VI was

the father of modern Thai nationalism

It had grown through struggle with European powers and through Chinese and European competition within the country. It had been fostered by King Rama VI(191031925), whose policy was reaffirmed by the constitutional regime from 1932.

Premier Phibunsonggram and his followers, especially Luang Vichitr Vadakarn, considered the king to be the father of modern Thai nationalism, and sought to emulate his policy.

However, nationalism assumed a new dimension; it took the forms of “Pan-Thaiism” and “ irredentism”, strengthened by the increased build-up of the armed forces on which, from 1938 onwards, the Thai government devoted nearly on-third of its budget resources.

Thailand’sEconomic Nationalism (01)

Thailand’sEconomic Nationalism (01)

In the economic sphere, Phibunsonggram’s nationalism was based on the principles of self-sufficiency, nationalism, and protectionism, and directed against the resident Chinese Community.

PM Phibunsonggram

The Thais were encouraged to replace the Chinese community in economic activity. Phibunsonggram’s slogan was “Thailand for the Thais in the economic sense no less than in the political one.”

He engaged in persuading his fellow-countrymen to produce more for themselves and to import less from abroad, in order to become as independent as possible of foreign supplies.

He introduced a law obliging small scale farming in every household outside Bangkok and urban centers. In March 1939 the government passed a new Revenue Code, in an attempt to lighten the financial burden of the peasant and free him from dependence on Chinese money-lender.

Thailand’s Economic Nationalism(02)

Thailand’s Economic Nationalism(02)

Much heavier taxation was levied on the commercial class, represented mainly by the Chinese and partly by European firms. It was followed by stringent regulation to check Chinese immigration and reserved for Thai nationals a number of occupations previously monopolized by Chinese.

There was a deep-rooted conviction on the part of all Thais that the Chinese were responsible for the peasants’ indebtedness, the poor reputation of Thai rice abroad, and the general lack of indigenous commercial talent.

The cry was also raised that they were sucking the life-blood from Thailand; it was alleged that their annual remittance to China caused a serious drain on the national finances.

Thai nationalism represented the economic hold of the Chinese as a political danger to the Thai regime. The government went so far as to close hundreds of Chinese schools, suppress Chinese newspapers, deport thousands of opium addicts and even arrest some of the leaders of the Chinese community.

Thailand's Economic Nationalism(03)

Thailand's Economic Nationalism(03)

The reason given was that the terrorist activities of the Chinese secret societies constituted a menace to public order. Phibunsonggram, in an interview with the press on November 3, 1939, tried to justify these measures.

The aim of the Thai government, he said, was not anti-Chinese or the like. Every possible means would be tried with a view to safeguarding the interests of those living peacefully and honestly in this “Land of the Free.”

The government would not relax its endeavors until the lawless element, he further stated, “which are the chief causes of these misunderstandings are suppressed, and until those honest and law-abiding Chinese could settle down peacefully and without threat of danger.”

However, the motives for Thai action against the Chinese were closely related also to Japanese aspirations. What the Thais called Chinese secret societies were in fact political movements set up to collect funds for China’s war against the Japanese.

Thailand's Economic Nationalism(04)

Thailand's Economic Nationalism(04)

The efforts of these societies and movements were greatly intensified after the Sino-Japanese war broke out in 1937. It was the Thai intention not to allow these Chinese organizations to exist legally and collect money for the war efforts against the Japanese.

Many Chinese trading companies also refused to handle Japanese and Thai goods, thereby undermining Thai-Japanese trade relations. Anxious to keep on good terms with the Japanese, the Thai elite were concerned about the strongly anti-Japanese in outlook of these Chinese societies and political organizations.

To improve matters, the Thai Rice Company was set up, as a way to counter the boycott the Chinese were trying to impose on the sale of Thai rice to Japan.

Correspondingly, the 1939 Fuel Oil Act was drafted by the Thais not only to eliminate the Western oil companies but also to give the Japanese a monopoly over the supply of oil to Thailand.

Thai economic nationalism did not harm the Japanese. Rather it benefited them, The associated measures simply contributed to French (and British) suspicions that Phibunsongggram was conniving with the Japanese against the French position in Indo-China.